Black and White
by sheedmonster
Summary: Tony gets ambushed by a thug and his dogs and gets saved by a stray dog. After the attack, Tony is too traumatized to go outside. Out there, however, is a desperate collie trying to find him again. Rated T for violence.
1. The Attack

**I know I shouldn't start this with so many on hold, but I have a good idea I want to use! I don't know how long this will be, but I'll roll with the tides.**

The sun was bright on the crisp autumn day. Leaves occasionally blew across the sidewalks of the park as people shuffled through the day. The city was packed with cars and creatures. Stray dogs ran from dog catchers, people walked to their offices, outlaws ran from the law. It was all a big jumble of sorts. The buildings stood tall and blocky, while the Stark Tower aways off was different and futuristic. Inside, however, was much more interesting.

Tony rubbed his eyes as he shuffled down into his kitchen. He stretched and yawned. He wore a grey scarf around his shoulders and a casual (of a kind) suit. He grabbed a quick bowl of cereal and an orange juice before heading out on a morning walk. Tony was deeply troubled by something. He could not make sense of what it was, but he felt uneasy. He had felt a slight ting ever since he had nearly died from the Loki and Chitauri attack. He shook his head as if it were a pesky fly. He exited his building and walked towards the park. He wore sunglasses against the ball of burning light in the sky and walked briskly. Once he entered the park, he felt safer and slowed his pace. He berated himself for being nervous and put his hands in his coat pockets. He walked more easily now that he was looking lazily up at the orange and red trees. Every time he saw them, he still felt an excitement and awe. He kept walking along and came to a wary halt. He looked on in curiosity as a stray black and white dog dug through a trash can. It hadn't noticed him as it had its head inside. Amusement lit his eyes as its tail began to wag. It drew out its muzzle with a half-eaten burger in its jaws. I froze as it saw Tony observing it and backed away before tearing across the ground into the distance. Tony chuckled to himself. He always saw stray dogs, but he had never been so close. Personally, he had always wanted a dog, but he couldn't bring himself to get one. Plus, Pepper didn't like dogs in the office, so that was another reason. Maybe he didn't want to get one because he knew he would lose it eventually. He shook his and walked on, leaving the over-turned garbage as it was. Foot steps sounded behind him. They were almost silent, but they were there. Nervousness tensed his stomach as they grew closer. He turned towards the center of the park, and heard a cling of metal. Fear made his eyes widen as he quickened his pace. He was being followed, and he didn't like it. Once he had reached an expanse of ground, he whipped around. Nothing was there, but he heard it. This snap; his mind struggled to remember what it was until he saw 10 very large, very dangerous dogs. They came charging from the bushes and headed head on towards him. He froze in shock and fear as they barreled towards him. A shady man stepped out too, and his eyes glittered in a dark pleasure as his lead dog sunk its teeth into Tony's leg. Pain enveloped Tony as the dog shook its head and the skin of his leg tore and ripped. He cried out in pain and the other dogs jumped onto him and bit into his skin. He struggled bitterly as the dogs pinned him down. They barked delightedly at the taste of blood on their tongues and Tony's cries.

The black and white dog Tony had seen earlier finished its breakfast. She licked her lips as she savored and remembered the taste of meat on her tongue. Her tail high, she padded along the sidewalk. No people come by at this hour. She stopped and sniffed nervously for the man that had watched her earlier. She was afraid of people, but found them interesting enough to live near. They did put out free food in those containers they called trash cans, so they weren't all bad, right? She trotted easily down the path and pricked her ears. She titled her head as she heard furious barking ahead. She lifted her tail and strained to hear more. Curiosity overpowered her and she walked towards the sound. She shook in fear as a human cowered beneath a torrent of large dogs. He cried and yelped in pain. The dog wished to turn her head, but instead bristled her fur. She sprung from her hiding place and snarled and barked a challenge at the dogs. Some ignored her, but the dogs that had trouble getting to the poor man turned towards her. She felt fear shake her, but she held her ground and barked. They narrowed their eyes and charged at her. Meanwhile, the master was edging closer to Tony holding a long knife.

The dog snapped at the brutal muzzles of the dogs and weaved out of theirs. She ran around them and bit their legs. She got kicked in the head and tumbled away from them. She recovered quickly and sprang away just in time as one landed where she had just been. She growled and curled her lip. She locked eyes with one of the dogs and lunged forward. She deftly bit his muzzle and it yelped in surprise. It shook her off and another grabbed her by the scruff. She twisted her head and bit its ear. It growled at her, but refused to let go. She panicked and began to squirm. She struck out at another dog and scratched its shoulder. It cried out and the dog holding her loosened its hold just enough for her to bite its throat. Fearing death, it ran from her and the others followed. The dog glanced back at the other dogs biting at the human and she noticed the leader. Her eyes blazed and her paws thrummed against the hard ground as she lunged for the enormous dog.

Tony felt pain everywhere and a burning. Fear surged through him as the dogs continued to bite him. He looked through a gap in the furry storm and snarls and saw the blue sky. He tried to keep looking at the last beautiful thing he thought he would see and a tear escaped his eye. He hadn't cried for a long time and tears of grief and pain spilled down his cheeks. He thought of Pepper, Steve, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, JARVIS, Fury, and Rhodey, all of his comrades. Grief tore at his heart as he thought of never seeing them again. Suddenly, a weight lifted off of his chest, followed by a gut-churning snapping noise.

The dog leapt onto the leader's back and it lifted its head in surprise. It twisted and leapt off of the human to bite her. She leapt up to meet the dog and gripped its thick neck in her teeth. She bit as hard as she could and blood gushed into her mouth. Eventually, the snapping of bone was heard and the dog fell limp onto her. She squirmed out of its weight and barked brutally at the other dogs. They lifted their heads in horror and fear as they saw their dead leader. The dog snapped and growled at the other dogs in challenge. They began to shake and they ran off in different directions of the park. All that was left of the dogs was the one holding the knife. His face twisted into a malicious grin. She snarled in warning, but he chuckled. The knife flashed out at her, but she dodged easily. Her eyes narrowed in intelligence and swiftly ran at the dark human.

Tony could only gaze up at the sky. Pain was felt all over him. The dogs suddenly stopped biting and his roamed to the nearest, which was….shaking in fear? Shock ran through his mind as it ran off, as did the others. Eventually all was heard was a sharp bark and a snarl. His eyes contracted in fear as he heard a cruel chuckle following it.

He followed the next sounds in a fearful daze. He heard snapping and crunching and cries of pain from human and canine lips. Suddenly, the sickening snap was heard again and he could no longer hear human noises. Above him was shadowed by a dog's furry slender muzzle. Fear made him shake, but he soon recognized that the bloodied muzzle belonged to the stray he had seen that morning. The dog gingerly licked its face and he could feel his fear reciprocated onto the dog. The dog nosed and nudged him desperately. It ripped his tattered clothing off of him. It looked at him nervously as she saw a blue light from his chest. It licked it lightly and nursed the rest of his wounds. It snuffed out his phone. She was knowledgeable to know that humans used these to call for help in trouble. It held the piece of hope in her jaws. She dropped in his hand and nudged him desperately for him to move. He found a sudden energy and dialed the first number he could think of. He raised the phone to his ear painfully and the dog barked in approval. He heard it ringing and a voice answered the other line.

"Hello? Tony is that you?"

"P-Pepper…"

"Oh my God, Tony are you all right?" Her voice said with a sudden fear.

"Come to the p-park." His voice croaked. "Pl-please."

"Tony, I'll be right there." He heard a rustling on the other line, her getting out of her chair, and he hung up. His phone dropped from his hand. The dog squirmed next to him and wedged into him. It whined sadly and licked his hand pleadingly. Tony closed his eyes and felt a little bit of peace as warmth spread through his body. His mind swam has fatigue overtook him. His breathing was shallow as he drifted into unconsciousness.

The dog whimpered and snuggled closer. Her own pain was digging into her now. She licked her flank against the wound that was bleeding heavily. She gave up and rested her slender muzzle on her paws. Her furry body was covered in Tony's and her own blood as she heard sirens sound a far way off. She lifted her head in fear. As the sirens sounded closer her body shook in anxiety. She whimpered and rested her head on Tony's chest. She heard shouts and dogs barking. She lifted her head and howled. The voices sounded more urgent as the came closer. The collie licked Tony's face with the same urgency. His face grimaced and he opened his eyes. The dog yipped excitedly. She knew the shouts were to find him. She was about to run to them when Tony grabbed a fistful of her fur and held her. The dog felt fear at first, but calmed to know he wanted her to stay. She sat by his side. The dogs barked as they begged to be let off their leashes. She barked to beckon them. They barked an answer and she kept barking to them that their quarry was with her. The shouts sounded excited as the conversation of the dogs burst through the bushes.

Pepper stared open-mouthed at the park center. It was spattered with blood and 4 figures were near the center. Two were dogs and two were humans. The police ran over and the dogs barked at the dog sitting over one of the bodies. She recognized the brown hair and ran to Tony. She crouched over his face as the sitting dog greeted the police dogs. When the dog noticed Pepper, she was uneasy.

"Tony? Tony can you here me?"

"Pepper; is th-that you?" Tony whispered painfully. The dog whined and Pepper noticed Tony had a fistful of the dog in his grip.

"Yes, it's me Tony. Don't try to talk too much. We're going to get you to the hospital."

"No." Tony rasped. "I want to go home." Pepper felt her heart crack as Tony whimpered in pain. She knew he would adamant about not going to the hospital so she asked the paramedics to bring him to the tower and help him there. They reluctantly agreed. They lifted Tony quickly onto a stretcher and the dog tried to follow, but they shooed her off. She barked at Tony to gain his attention. He roused but they settled him quickly with a sedative. The dog whined and shifted in urgency. Pepper followed quickly after them, not thinking how important the dog was to Tony.

**A.N.: It has potential. I love to get reviews!**

**Check 'ya later!**


	2. Singed

**Now for another one! Are you guys ready?**

**Anyways, I feel like I will have trouble describing the dog if I don't show you a picture of what she probably looks life. Here's the link:**

. 

It had been a week after the incident. The days had gotten colder for the poor collie as she nursed her wound and washed off the dried blood matting her coat. She tried to, in her time not spent finding food to eat, spot the human. She was afraid of the people who had rescued him, but she was eager to rescue him again. Her head drooped in disappointment every morning when she couldn't see him. Her black and white coat could be spotted through the trees of the early morning runners as she edged closer to see if it was him. Some tried to coax her out, only to be shocked when she barked fearfully and ran back towards the trees. Eventually, the poor collie gave up. Her furry ears dipped in disappointment when he never showed every day. When the time had reached over a month, she returned to the city alleyways to once again dig through the dumpsters and stop competing with the park dogs.

Tony, in the meantime, was healing. However, his mind lay in shatters. He started at every sound and couldn't even think about a dog without shaking. Every night, his nightmares from Afghanistan would mix with the dog attack, making him wake in a cold sweat and screaming. Pepper would try to console him, but he was so afraid of her that she would leave with tears in her eyes. Pepper couldn't take seeing him like this as he lay in his bed in fear every night. During the day, he was very jumpy and was eerily quiet for himself. Steve tried to talk to him about it, but Tony cowered and fled the room, leaving Steve looking at his shoes in grief. Pepper could talk to him, but never in person. Eventually, they decided to get Tony a therapist so he would get better. The therapist left holding his forehead yelling about Tony having a very heavy book on his bed side table.

Tony shuffled out of bed and grabbed a hot coco packet off the shelves. He poured the hot water into the mug and sat on the couch watching the morning news. His eyes were glued to the screen as he watched the cameras narrow in on his friends. They were trying to help people escape a burning building, but he wasn't interested in them. He waited every day to hear about something else, which he had forgotten about. Tony shuffled through the channels until he got to Animal Planet. His features brightened instantly as he watched "Too Cute" which featured puppies. His tenseness eased and he laughed and smiled and became rowdy. There was no one there to here it, but if they had been, he would be like himself. Tony was simply grinning at the fluffy faces and wagging tails. It looked as if he was genuinely happy.

The collie was digging through a dumpster and grabbed a piece of pizza in her jaws. Her tail wagged in glee at her find. She dropped down on four paws and lay down to feast. She chewed at the chewy cheese and gnawed at the stale crust. To a human, it was disgusting, but not to a dog. As the collie ate her happiness of the day, smoke was rising only a few blocks away. Occasionally, she would start as the sirens echoed down the alley, but she ignored it. Then, a scent hit her. She lifted her head and perked her ears. She tilted her head and got up. She trotted out of the alley in eagerness, leaving her pizza slice half-eaten. Her nose to the ground, the collie followed the scent trail. It was another human, but it held his scent. Her brow furrowed in concentration, the black and white stray trotted closer and closer to the fire. She lifted her tail as she smelled the fresh scent. Her head lifted also and looked onto the dancing licks of flame. The furry dog whimpered as memories hit her, but it shook her furry head. Her brown eyes glimmered in fear as she trotted and weaved closer to the fire. Finally, she stood right near it, holding back from the humans standing at the front. She sneezed at the smell of the smoke, but the scent of the man mingled with it. The collie growled at herself and stamped her paw in frustration. It was quite comical in the eyes of an onlooker. She shook herself and ran between the fire men blocking the way. They yelped in surprise as a dog tore under the barrier and ran into the burning hell.

She whined as a plank of fire fell in front of her. It yelped and hopped away from the torch. She located the scent trail with her nose and followed it dutifully despite coughing and getting confused. The dog sprung away from the fire that reached out to her in fear and felt flight threaten to overtake her. She snuffed the air and coughed at the smoke. The stairs were barley harmed, but it would take bravery to climb them. The stray looked upon them and ran up them quickly so she wouldn't back down. Fear pulsed through the dog's limbs as she dodged the beams and bursts of fire. She cried as her fur singed slightly. The dog's eyes were contracted in horror as a man coughed in the midst of hell. Her brow raised and she walked warily towards him. The scent wafted through her nose. Widening eyes realized that this was her quarry.

Steve coughed bitterly in the smoke and fire. The smoke burned his throat and his eyes watered. There were no more people in the building, and he needed to find a way out. He looked around blindly as he stumbled through the wreckage. Panicking, he ran through some beam and stumbled, falling painfully on his knees. Coughing bitterly, even though enhanced with the serum, Steve was lost inside a very dangerous building and a much ignited one at that. However, the need to survive, which resides deeply in all of us, urged Steve to keep going. Clothing singed and smoke all around him, Steve army crawled through the wreckage. Eventually, he stood again, but he had no recollection of where he was. The fire must have put up obstacles he hadn't noticed, but he forgot the building could change due to this. He lifted his head and heard something, like a person. He called out, but no one answered except more rustling or movement. Steve cautiously walked over, but stopped to cough. He saw someone through the smoke and embers, but was too preoccupied with coughing to look closer. His throat burned and ached as he coughed. Then, he heard a sharp noise. Uncertain and curious, Steve strained to hear it again. It answered with a sharper, clearer noise; a bark. Steve stumbled towards the sound and happened upon a lucky sight; a black and white dog (excuse the singed fur) was barking and yipping excitedly at him. "Finally," It seemed to say. "I've found you!"

Steve grabbed the dog and held it in his arms as he looked around, but she squirmed in his grasp. He dropped her suddenly and she landed with a grunt, but hopped up onto its paws again. She barked at the human in desperation and leapt over a beam. Barking again and then leaping over a pile of burnt rubbish. Catching on, Steve followed this dog and it led him to a staircase. She descended it quickly and stared back at Steve. Descending also, the large human caught up to his only hope of escape.

Tony scrubbed around in the fridge for something to eat when he heard the news blast suddenly. Banging his head on one of the shelves, he back out in surprise. He looked back at the television in confusion, while rubbing his head. Grumbling, Tony grabbed a Root Beer and plopped down on the couch again. He opened it and watched in fascination at the news. It pictured the burning building he had seen earlier. The reporter was saying something urgent, so he turned up the volume:

_I am standing in front of the former apartment building where an Avenger, Captain America, is trapped. The fire men are doing all they can to dowse the flames. As you can see, it is a horrible situation. The Captain was going back for extra survivors when the entrance caved in. How will our hero get out? This is Kristie Li-…._

Tony lost interest as she continued to blab. Then, something caught his eye. He turned up the volume again and crept closer to the screen. He sat cross-legged in wonder at the sight on the screen. His heart pounded as his eyes absorbed the thing of his attention. Heart pounding and eyes bright, Tony reached out to touch the figure on the screen.

Steve stumbled out of the burning building with his fore arm covering his mouth and nose. The dog leapt out after him and ran circles around him. The dog barked excitedly as she sniffed the man. The black and white dog jumped on him and sniffed his chest in urgency. Her tail wagged furiously as she scented the man she was looking for. The reporter ran up to Steve and tried talking to him, but he coughed and almost collapsed. The paramedics and fire men hurried over to him and placed him on a stretcher in an ambulance. The collie looked confused and tried to follow him, but a fire man grabbed her and put an oxygen mask on the stray. He said kind words to her, praising her for being a hero, but she absorbed none of it as she watched another opportunity slip by.

Whining sadly, she shifted uncomfortably. The fire man patted her and soothed her by scratching behind her ear, making her lean into his hand and wagged her tail. The reporter hurried over with a new paper photographer and leaned on the other side of the dog, smiled, and a bright flash scared the dog. She jumped and wrestled out of the fire man's grasp. The last thing they saw of her was a white tipped tail disappearing around the block in a fearful haste.

Tony was excited for Pepper to come home, so he called her, hand still touching the screen. Her dialed the number eagerly and put the phone up to his ear.

"Tony? Are you in trouble?" Pepper asked fearing the worst.

"What; I am not in trouble, why do you ask?" Tony said confused.

"N-never mind that; why did you call me?" Pepper sounded questioning.

"Turn on the news! I found my dog!" Tony said in an excited child-like manner.

"Tony…you don't have a dog…"

"Yes I do! It's on the TV!"

Pepper turned on the news to see a panting border collie running around a much burnt and very tired Steve. Her hand went to her mouth as they recounted the story.

"Tony, wait; why are you watching the news?"

"Hot coco and root beer always goes best. Did you see my dog?"

"Tony! You do not have a dog!"

"Yes I do, it saved me. That must mean it is my dog. Understand?"

"What are you talking about? There was no…dog… Oh my God…"

"I told you! See there it is… Aww! She ran away…" Tony whimpered as she ran from the cameras and around a street corner.

"Tony?"

"Did you see my dog?"

"Yes, Tony, I did see your dog. Did you know your dog is a hero? He saved Steve!"

"It's a he?"

"What? How does this have…? Oh never mind! Your dog saved Steve!"

"Isn't it a really nice dog? It has a really nice coat, even though it looked really burned on TV. I wonder where she lives-"

"Tony! Your- I mean that dog saved Steve!"

"Really? Why didn't you say so?"

"Tony, I will kill you.

"I have a pretty cool dog then. I need to go find it right now. It's probably not that far from here…"

"Anthony Stark! You are not leaving the tower until you are better and not alone!"

"You ruin all the fun, but I'm going anyways. Seeya later!"

"TONY. NO."

Tony hung up. Pepper dialed a number.

"Natasha?"

"Yes, Pepper?"

"Can you retrieve Tony, please?"

"I'm on it." Natasha said in a sigh.

**A.N. Another miss! Poor girl! I love how cute Tony is in this chapter! I will try to update soon! **


	3. First Interaction

**Oh my god; 6 reviews. I could die happy. Thanks!**

**Sorry about that link, I don't know why it screwed up. Forgive me, please! I think this will be more of Tony rather than the dog, so here we go!**

Tony pulled on his jacket and a navy scarf and set off in a hurry. His heart pounding with excitement and adventure, he failed to notice that he was outside. Tony had not been outside since the attack and refused to go near the door, but the sight of "his" dog pushed him to. His shoes touched the side walk as he neared the city. He saw a taxi, but realized he forgot his money at home. Realization halted him. He looked down at himself, then back at the Stark Tower. He was outside; alone. He shook his head and ran in the direction of the fire. He jogged lively down the blocks, his scarf firmly in place. He walked with his head high as he walked around the bend where his dog had run off. His brow creased as he followed the side walk. He asked people in stands if they had seen a black and white dog, but they shrugged or denied it. His confusion furthered until he reached an alley way. He had only been watching 'Oliver and Company' with Steve a couple of months ago, and he remembered dogs liked alleys. His face set with new determination, he walked quietly down the alley. He heard a rustling noise and a whine. It came from the other side of the dumpster. He rounded the corner eagerly, and got what he expected. The black and white dog noticed him and lifted its head. Its eyes brightened and she jumped up onto him. The greeting of the two was out of a movie, as they warmed up to each other. Tony sat cross legged in front of her and smoothed the fur on her head. The collie panted after running circles around him. She licked his hand and he laughed happily. His face fell when he noticed a burn where the skin was…well icky would be a way to put it or like a hotspot rather. He took off his scarf and gingerly wrapped it around the dog's neck. He had figured it was a female from her face structure and said it brought out her eyes. The navy scarf set fashionably upon his new friend, Tony hugged her. The dog stiffened for a moment, but realizing his intentions were compassionate, she nuzzled his hair affectionately. The bliss was short lived as foot steps approached.

"Tony? I know you're down there." A female voice spoke threateningly.

The dog lifted her head in fear and licked her new friend's face before bolting away. He was left sitting there like a child who had dropped their ice cream as he got up. He looked in the fleeing dog's direction once more before turning towards Natasha who stood with her arms crossed. A small smile played his lips as he remembered the scarf he had placed on her neck.

"Tony," Natasha asked irritated. "Why are you here?"

"I saw my dog!" Tony grinned excitedly. "She was so beautiful and cute and fluffy and furry and-"

"Tony!" Natasha narrowed her eyes pointedly at him. "You shouldn't be out, you still need to recuperate. Now come back to the tower.

Tony looked upset. "But I-"

"_Now_." Natasha wasn't playing around.

That night, everyone was shocked as Tony talked about, well, everything. He kept chatting and talking until Clint thought his ears would bleed. Tony hadn't talked this much even before the accident and no one could get a word in edgewise. Tony talked about the weather patterns, how building structures should be fixed, and even how the waters could be cleaner in the restaurants. He surprised everyone when he didn't talk about himself. Steve shared a nervous glance with Natasha, who simply was staring open-mouthed at the rambling Tony.

Eventually, the lack of reappearance of the collie wore him again and he withdrew from society. He would watch the news for any sign of her and his scarf, hoping she was safe. He was no artist, but he drew himself and his dog, which he named Shep. He took tape from Pepper's office and taped his drawings to the windows while everyone was out. Each one was placed delicately on the glass and the light created a weird perspective on each drawing. When he was done, he stood up and looked at the mural he had created. He grinned widely and set the tape down on the coffee table. Papers were scattered at randomly throughout the tower and the pictures on the wall had indeed a certain sweetness and beauty to them. He scooted back to his room and drew more to put on Pepper's windows while humming a tune.

Pepper had been out all day at meetings and was actually relieved to arrive at her office. She shut the door, before opening her eyes. When she did, she shut them quickly, begging it not to be real, but she opened them reluctantly and found her office drowned in paper. They were on her desk, on her floor, on the windows, and on the…ceiling. Tony stood in the middle of the room. His smile widened as Pepper gawked at him.

"Do you like them?"

"Tony… what did you do…"

"I had extra drawings of me and Shep-"

"Who the hell is Shep?"

"My dog; I named her of course. I am a good owner, after all. Now it's rude to interrupt. I taped all of the pictures of us to, well, everywhere!"

"Tony…" Pepper looked at him.

"Isn't it great?"

"Tony, you can't put all of…this in my office." Tony's face fell.

"Wait, Tony, what did you mean by extra drawings?"

"Oh, well our rooms and the living room and kitchen were already full and I need to finish the lab."

Pepper gaped at him. "How much paper did you use?!"

Tony shrugged and slid past her before she could say anything else. He grinned and waved before disappearing down the halls. Pepper stood there in astonishment and looked at the paper mounds in her office. She shook her head and sat down at her desk to type reports. Some of which were to therapists.

**Thanks guys! Sorry about the lateness, I have had a lot to do lately (qualifying for finals in horse showing and such) but I hope you like this chapter!**


	4. Snow is Falling

**I am SO sorry about being late! I have had a huge writer's block lately and have been reading more than writing. School started last week, so no time in there. I might be able to squeeze in on the weekends and stuff, so I'll try my best. **

**Here is chapter 4 now? I believe so. See how long I haven't been on? This is pretty dang pathetic. **

Chapter… 4?

The collie, now referred to as Shep, opened her brown eyes. She shivered brutally, snuggling deeper into the tattered scarf for warmth. Sadness filled her as she tried to find the last scent of her person. He was gone, and she was hungry. Hunger drove her to rise on weak paws as she limped out into the freezing weather. Schools had to be cancelled for the past few days due to driving blizzards. She limped into the empty, snowy streets, the scarf dragging loosely behind her. The black and white dog's pelt was no longer the brilliant sheen it had been in autumn. Her pelt had faded slightly, and the white dulled to a yellow. Her ribs jutted out from her body as she walked down the empty snowy street. Her cold nose lifted to the air, sniffing for warmth more than food. Her nose quivered as she carefully sniffed. Dropping her head, Shep walked forward in disappointment. Today would provide no food either.

Suddenly, a loud noise made her head whip up. She barked in fright as a siren sounded in the silent, dead air. The shrill call made her freeze, more so than she already was. A sudden boldness warmed her limbs as she thought of the scarf and fire, making her bolt with unreal speed towards the siren. Her paws skidded on the icy roads as she raced around the corners. There were no cars out, but who would be at 2 in the morning when the least amount of snow was 3 feet and there was ice where snow was not? Using the ice to her advantage her stride lengthened. The siren cut through her ears and steam poured out her mouth like a chimney. Her tail was straight up as she stopped shortly. A man was running out a burning building that was the tallest in the city, carrying sacks of things. Her hackles raised, the dog barked fearfully. The man turned, a thing in his hand, and it made a loud bang. The dog skidded away from him, and glanced at a hole in the ground by her. Whether it was intelligence or the hunger in her belly, the dog ran at the human snarling. She sank her teeth into the arm holding the weapon, shaking her head furiously. The man cried out in pain as her teeth ripped the pale skin that was once his wrist. The weapon felt out of his hand and he kicked the dog in the chest. She yelped as she fell onto the hard frozen ground, the breath knocked out of her. She lay sprawled out in the white, whimpering as she struggled to a stand. Furiousness overcame the collie; it was the instinct of her ancestors. She faced the man and her lip curled as her tongue swiped over her lips, growling dangerously. The man took the gun in the other hand, gritting his teeth as hot tears of burning pain lit his injured arm. The wobbling hand took a shot at the dog, grazing her shoulder, making her cry in pain and fright. She stumbled back as blood and steam poured out of the wound. Adrenaline and unknown strength kept her standing as she faced the man again, who fired a shot, which missed terribly. Brown eyes ablaze, she lunged forward, gripping the man with vigor. She ripped at his jacket as she clawed at his legs. A sudden thump resounded in her skull as she crumpled to the cold ground. Blackness covered her vision as pain erupted all over her.

Tony sat in the living room, slowly taking all of the papers down. A scowl permanently placed on his face, he stuffed another one angrily in the trash bag. Pepper watched him closely, sipping coffee. Steve sat across from her, sadness filling his eyes as he watched Tony rip another paper from the wall. He stared into his mug solemnly for a while before asking Pepper something.

"You think he'll be alright?" Steve asked with concern.

"No, he won't be okay until he gets the damn dog." She answered bitterly. She was mad that Tony had to go through this phase. She never wanted Tony to be attacked like this. Her relationship with him was already rickety, and she was on edge even before the attack happened.

"You shouldn't think like that. He's going through a lot now." Steve said softly.

"You don't think _I'm_ going through things too? I hope you know I have to cope with him all the time now! He won't leave me alone for more than five minutes!" She whisper-yelled at Steve.

"You should be more understanding." Steve glared.

"I am trying, Steve. I just don't think I can handle him anymore! He's a nuisance!"

"He's Tony! You aren't looking for your dog!" Steve exclaimed.

"That dog is dead! It couldn't have survived the storm! It's probably rotting away in some sewer drain!" Pepper yelled angrily. Steve's eyes widened in shock and horror as a man stood behind Pepper, and he was holding a trash bag.

"Y-you said she's dead?" Tony whimpered.

"Tony?! I-I didn't mean…. I mean… Tony I didn't mean…." Pepper stuttered.

Steve stood up suddenly and said darkly, "Pepper. Get out. You have done your damage."

Pepper's face fell and her gaze hardened. "Fine. _You_ can deal with him."

Tony stood there like a lost child, tears filling his brown eyes. He sat down on the ground and began to cry. Steve looked at Tony with a startled expression. Tony put his hands over his face as he sobbed sadly. Steve sat down next to him and wrapped his arms around the broken man. Tony wrapped his arms around the bigger man tightly. He sobbed into his chest as Steve rubbed his back, murmuring soothing words. Finally, Tony stopped crying and looked at Steve with red eyes.

"Is she dead, Cap'?" Tony whimpered. His eyes looked pleadingly with his friend.

"Your scarf protects her." Steve chose his words carefully. He smiled reassuringly at Tony, who grinned widely and hugged the man affectionately.

"Tony?"

"Yeah, Steve?" Tony mumbled into his chest, sighing with content.

"Is that your phone?" Steve looked around as he heard a sudden ringing.

Tony broke away and answered it. "Hello~?"

"Hello, sir. Someone has breached the building at Stark Industries." JARVIS' voice answered calmly into the phone. JARVIS had been turned off at the tower since Tony began to have full-length talks to the AI which had bothered Pepper immensely.

"I'll be there." Tony answered confidently. He turned to Steve, who had gotten up.

"Suit up." Tony said with a grin, tearing off before Steve could prevent him.

Once Tony was in the Iron Man suit, he felt powerful and indestructible again. He soared through the sky as Steve was holding his shoulders tightly. As they neared the building, sirens tore through the air, and he heard a gunshot. He dove for the ground, and Steve landed on the pavement as a second shot was fired. Tony landed on the ground heavily, but it was muffled by the white blanket of snow. He heard a cry of pain as growling echoed down the empty street. Growling sent shivers up Tony's spine as he stepped out into the street, seeing a tattered scarf lying on the ground by a heap of fur. Suddenly, he raised his hand, firing a shot at the man who was holding the butt of his gun over his head, beating the heap. It hit the man in the face, killing him instantly. Tony ran up to the heap of fur, fear eating him up like flames. He knelt beside it and shook it desperately while Steve ran up to the now dead man. A whine was felt beneath Tony's touch and he picked her up quickly as he saw the open wound, oozing blood. He turned to Steve, who was trying to ID the man, and grabbed him by the waist. Tony shot off into the sky and went as fast as he could towards the tower, worried tears crawling down his cheeks.

**What do you think? Per your requests, I decided to let Tony have the dog. I'm sorry if some of you liked Pepper, but I love Stony with all my heart, so I decided to have a little fun. Plus, Pepper is very uptight in general and I don't think looking after a grown man who taped 40,000 trees' worth of paper in her office alone will help. So, I've kind of kicked her out of this story and everything. So now, Steve and Tony can have the bromance. :D**


	5. Stability

**I AM REALLY, REALLY SORRY! I am such a horrible author, it's true! I have been really neglectful to you guys and please don't be too bitter! **** I don't want you guys mad, I just had so much else to worry about and I finally decided to sit down and type this damn chapter. Chapter 5! **

Tony sat in a huddle, rocking slightly outside of his lab. Steve stood above him, glancing nervously at the once arrogant billionaire. Sighing in defeat, the taller man sank down to the floor next to Tony. The brown-eyed shell looked up at Steve, not saying a word. His brown eyes swam with anxiety and insecurity, asking '_will she be alright?' _ in every way. Tears welling in his deep eyes, the once man of iron crumbled. Defeat sagged in his shoulders and despair leaked down his cheeks. He really thought his dog was gone. Steve hoped with all his strength and all his goodness that she would be alright. No matter how many arguments and disagreements he and Tony had, he was still…. Tony. Now, seeing him so afraid and insecure; he looked so breakable. If this dog didn't make it, there would be no more Iron Man. Heck, the Avengers couldn't be the Avengers without their cocky genius. Steve tentatively put his arm around the smaller man's shoulders, holding him closely. As if a switch had been flipped, the brown-haired man gripped Steve like a life-line, holding him as if he was going to fall.

"She'll be okay, Tony." Steve murmured softly into his hair.

"Y-you really think s-so?" Tony sniffled sadly. Grief pulled at his heart as he thought about how her limp body dangled from his arms. He barely remembered her being taken by Bruce, who was operating on her now.

"Yeah, she's strong. Your scarf will save her." He whispered. "She'll be okay."

"B-but-" Tony whimpered.

"No, Tony." Steve interrupted firmly. "She and you have a connection. You're both life to one another. She wants to be alive for you as much as you want to be for her."

"Steve?"

"Yeah, Tony?"

"Y-you," Tony sniffed as he wiped his nose with his sleeve. "You are…."

"I am what?" Steve wondered out loud, watching as Tony smiled with wet eyes.

"You are kind of like my life too." He smiled with a blush. He cuddled into Steve's chest, making the older man blush heavily, but not unhappily.

"I-I am?" Steve asked, wanting to know the answer.

"Yeah, I always thought you were a hero. You were always my h-hero, and I really like you. We always f-fought and I wanted to be friends. You're so kind… and b-brave and amazing; everything I'm not. I j-just wish I could have been nicer-r to you."

Tony whimpered slightly at the end, his voice breaking like how his heart must have been.

"Tony," Steve whispered in awe, throat closing. "I always thought you were nice. I knew you didn't mean what you said."

"But I did! I hated you 'cause you thought I was a big shot and I didn't want to be your friend. I was only trying to be funny, but you thought I was mean! Then, then, you and I fought and, and…." Tony cried into Steve's chest, sobs wracking his vulnerable frame as he gushed onto the hero. Steve just sat, at a loss, not knowing how to handle the torn man. Hesitantly, the blonde placed his hand on Tony's back, rubbing soothingly slow circles, threading his fingers through dark brown hair. The previously sobbing man gave way to whimpers and sniffles, trying to calm himself. Tony relaxed into Steve's touch, giving in.

"Tony…" Steve started, trying to keep his voice clear. "You are the bravest man I have ever known."

"No 'm not." The muffled voice rose from Steve's dampened shirt.

"Yes you are."

"How, then?" Tony glared with red eyes. "How? Steve, tell me!"

"Only the bravest would admit their weakness." Steve spoke thoughtfully; he really was the most philosophical next to Dr. Banner.

"Y-you really think so?" Tony sniffled with a small smile.

"Yeah." Steve held Tony closer, relishing in the fact he made him smile.

Bruce worked tirelessly, knowing any minute this dog could be at death's entrance. Even now, it was on the edge of living and dead. Operating wasn't his specialty, but he knew how it worked. Getting the infection and bullet shrapnel out of this dog was key, first and foremost. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the genius carefully removed the toxic material from the shoulder, cutting carefully and precisely.

After he finished the procedure, the doctor carefully made his way to the door to the lab, knowing Tony would be waiting. He opened the door and stepped out, hiding the shock of seeing Tony a sobbing mess.

"Er… well, she made it." He stammered shyly. "I removed the shrapnel and she should wake up around 14:00 tomorrow."

"Really?!" Tony's excited reply, his voice croaky from crying, erupted from Steve's chest. His brown eyes lit with new passion, he hugged his companion tightly and let tears of joy flow down his cheeks.

Bruce felt awkward standing amidst the weeping man, so he pardoned himself and left for his room, high up in the tower. The scientist was overjoyed at how happy Tony looked, like a kid at Christmas. It's just that Bruce was always afraid of contact, like the smallest thing would set him off. He didn't mind it really, and he knew the others realized it too. So, as he sat down on his bed, sliding into some sweats and a loose shirt, he thought about all the good he did for his friend. That dog was his only hold on sanity now. That dog not only saved Tony, but saved the Avengers too. They were a family, close and unbreakable. The last thing Bruce wanted was for them to break up; they were all he had now. Without them, what would he do; go back to what he was before? He sighed shakily before climbing under the covers, leaving JARVIS to warn him if anything was going wrong with the dog.

_The next day:_

"Is she awake yet?" Tony hopped around Bruce.

"Tony, it's 6 in the morning…" the scientist grumbled sleepily.

"So she is awake?" Tony asked innocently. His eyes were wide with anticipation.

"She'll be fine until _3:00_ _pm_ when she wakes up, alright?" Bruce sighed.

"But that's not until forever!" The brown-haired man whined.

"Sorry, Tony, but that's how it has to be." Bruce pet the man's back and walked into the kitchen, searching for orange juice or tea.

"Oh… okay." Tony mumbled down at his shoes.

"Why don't you color a picture of her? You can use that online program I showed Steve." Bruce suggested, feeling instantly sorry he was so blunt.

"What was the program?" Tony's voice asked with interest and curiosity.

"Er… well the program is called GIMP. The program should already be uploaded. You can probably do a drawing. How about it; do you want to try it?" Bruce smiled at the already excited man.

"Yeah! Is it in the lab?" He asked.

"Well, yes, but you can do it here too." Bruce reminded, a picture of his dog stuck with tubes and wires coming to mind.

"Oh, right! I forgot! Thanks Bruce!" Tony grinned wide, shouting at JARVIS to pull up a screen of the program. As he experimented with it, Bruce sighed deeply. He could have gotten Photoshop, but Steve didn't want Bruce to spend any money. So, GIMP strolled along and Steve was ecstatic. As Bruce looked at Tony, smiling wide and eyes shining, he smiled too. It wasn't everyday you could see the child in an adult; Tony of all people. Bruce relished in the fact that Tony's mind would be focused as he carefully mapped out where he would draw the dog. Giggling, Tony drew lines in all different colors as he sketched the pattern of how he would do it. Eventually, he called Steve down to help him with it. Bruce watched quietly from the kitchen, watching the two draw Tony's dog. They moved around each other flawlessly, making lines and filling in spaces with color, using Steve's techniques and shading.

_Later that day:_

"Hey, Steve?" Bruce called to the blonde across the kitchen, jolting him awake. He and Tony had eventually sat down and watched a movie. They watched "Mist" which was about border collies and it made Tony very happy. Bruce shook his head fondly at the memory of seeing Tony act like a toddler. This whole trauma problem had made a major set-back in Tony's mindset. He didn't act as mature… or he really wasn't that mature to start off with, but he was a lot younger-acting would be a good way to put it.

"Yes, Bruce?" Steve asked softly, not wanting to jolt the sleeping man next to him.

"Could you… could you come to the lab with me a moment?" The scientist asked warily, not wanting to say "dog" or anything associated with it.

"What was it?" Steve's eyes widened in worry as thoughts ran through his head. "Is… is she okay?"

"Oh? Yeah, yes she is fine, don't worry!" Bruce whispered quickly. "Just come with me okay?"

"Okay." Steve slowly removed himself from the unusually clingy male next to him and quietly tiptoed after the other man.

Whence they reached the laboratory, the scientist stopped and turned. His soft brown eyes stared at the American hero with an emotion hard to place.

"What is it, Bruce?" Steve asked in concern.

"You love him, don't you?" He inquired slowly. He had a small smile playing at his lips, and his voice held no mockery or such, only kind curiosity.

"I-I…. I don't know. M-maybe I do-" Steve sputtered with a dark red blush clouding his cheeks.

"Well, you like him a lot, right?" Bruce asked thoughtfully.

"Well, yes, maybe…"

"Steve, don't lie. It's pretty obvious." Bruce interrupted him flatly. "The real question is, what are you going to do about it?"

The blue-eyed man's brow furrowed. After a few moments of silence, he spoke up. "Until Tony is okay, I will look after-no, _protect_ him. Maybe he will want a relationship, but right now, he just needs someone to take care of him. And I want to do that for him."

The scientist nodded in admiration at the statement. "You'll be good to him."

"I hope so. When is she supposed to wake up?"

"3:00"

"We have a few hours. I'll go back to Tony and make sure he's alright."

"See you, Steve. I'll check up on her again."

**Remember guys, this is a hobby, so don't get hopes too high. I'll do my best okay? I truly am sorry for the lack of updates, but I have been super busy! **


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